Jeremiah 31:27-34 or Genesis 32:22-31
Psalm 121 or Psalm 119:97-104
2 Timothy 3:14-4:5
Luke 18:1-8
Luke 18 provides a difficult passage that offers richness in possibilities. Commonly considered a lesson that "persistent prayer brings results," we find that the reason for this is perhaps different from what we think. Let's remember that the widow wasn't praying to the judge persistently, she was assertively confronting him until she won her case. But she probably couldn't have kept this up unless she had the spiritual power to do so.
Jesus opens his lesson with two important points: the need to pray always, and not to lose heart. There was a widow, Jesus said, who sought justice from an unjust judge. This widow probably had no power or money, two things that are advantageous in a worldly system of politics, greed and power. But the widow did have persistence! She finally got what she wanted by pestering the judge persistently, never giving up.
She didn't give up in pursuing her cause, which was one of Jesus' points to this story: don't lose heart, particularly when battling a secular system that is indifferent to justice for all. One must keep fighting for what is right and just, even when the odds seem insurmountable.
But how does one maintain the energy, the passion and the motivation to keep fighting the good fight? That is the second point Jesus was making: the need to pray always. The basic function of prayer is to get us in touch with God. When we do this, we connect with His power source, His love for us and the world, and we are re-energized, refreshed, and renewed once again.
This is the balance we need in the dance of life – sometimes we need silent time, prayer time, contemplative time; and sometimes we are out engaging the world, serving as God's hands, feet, and voice in our day-to-day activities. This, I believe, was the contrast that Jesus was trying to make in this story.
Jesus affirms that the unjust judge is not like God by comparing what the judge did with how God responds to His children: "Will He delay long in helping them [like the unjust judge]? I tell you, He will quickly grant justice to them." No need to beg, grovel or pester.
Justice in Biblical times had a broader meaning than what we think it is today. Back then it meant to restore equity to a person – not just in monetary terms, but in a sense of wholeness as a human being. A person became just when they were connected with God through prayer and were given the wisdom and understanding of His love. They achieved a harmony between mind, body and soul. Armed with this, he or she could engage the world in a powerful way, to overcome even the worst of the unjust judges.
It's true that we need to be persistent in prayer, but in doing so it's meant to give us the fuel to venture out and confront the wrongs in this world. The widow had the power to maintain her persistence because she prayed often.
Jesus concludes this lesson with an admonition: "When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" That is, he who has ears to hear, let them listen to this advice! The person who stays secluded from the world will have little impact on it. But the person who never prays, who never takes time to renew, refresh, or recharge one's spiritual batteries will burn out too quickly, and also have little or no impact on the world. Once again, balance is the key.
Jesus has sent us the Advocate to teach us; but we have to take time to listen to the Teacher.
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